Leaves: A Story in Moments
by Ara Catin
Summary: Small looks into the lives of Lily Evans and James Potter. Not the grand moments always, but quiet snapshots of two lives that were over too soon. Non-linear.
1. Tea

**LEAVES**

**TEA:**

This was not Lily's finest moment. She was slowly coming upon the possibility that this was her worst moment to date. Well, academically, at least. Lily was an excellent student, she reminded herself over and over again as she scratched out another paragraph of her carefully inked Defense Against the Dark Arts essay. She had one more roll of parchment to complete but she was beginning to think that the sun would be up and her housemates would be down for breakfast before she even came close to her still unthought of conclusion. She roughly swept one hand across her eyelids, blocking out the flickering light before diving in, once more, in attempt to slay the beast that was her essay.

There was as slight creak in the floorboards. Not unheard of in such an old castle, but still eerie at this hour of the night.

"Hello? Glynis, that you?" Lily called out to her dorm mate who had given up earlier on her DADA essay. Lily peered around but couldn't find anyone else in the dimmed common room. "Ah well. Going mental before my time. Such a tragic life I lead. Between that and talking to myself." She sucked on the end of her quill, trying to remember exactly where she had left off. "So, the manticores…are, are…well. They're nasty. Oh damn, this is getting me nowhere."

She pushed back her chair, relaxing momentarily before shoving herself up and walking towards the window. Lily shook her hair down from the knot she had tied it in she brushed her hands through her hair, trying to get the thick strands to all head in one direction. "Greek mythology, real useful. So glad I bothered to even attend Muggle school. It's all worthless right? Maybe they should just tell us at birth, oh yes, don't bother wasting all your time on this, it's worthless crap. Don't even bother! That way you can come here arrogant and, and, and stupid." She let out a huff of air. "And probably better at coming up with insults than I am. Honestly." She tugged the curtains on the window open again, securing them with thick gold rope and returned to her chair.

Oddly, there appeared to be someone in her chair. Unexpected, not only because of the time of night, but common courtesy dictated that when there was such a mess on a table or parchment, ink and bobby pins, it's assumed that someone is working there. Probably someone female. The person in Lily's chair was not female however.

"Cuppa tea?" James Potter asked, ever so calmly as Lily stared at him in abject horror.

"Potter, what- what are you doing?" Lily managed to choke out in surprise and embarrassment.

"Couldn't sleep, saw you were up, thought you might want tea. I got tea. We could have tea." He half smiled at her, still squinting a little, showing the late hour.

"I can't have tea, I've got my essay. Manticores. Awful."

"The manticores or the essay? Because I'm sure your writing is fine." James took a sip from another teacup on the table, breathing in the aroma first.

"Girly way of drinking your tea, isn't it Potter?"

"Oh come off it.

Lily stared at him in mild frustration, wondering if perhaps he never slept and that was why he was absolutely bonkers. He brought her tea. He just woke up and brought her tea. It's kind of nice to have someone bring her tea, she was well aware. She could maybe get used to someone bringing her tea, she just wasn't sure she wanted it to be Potter.

"Well, I was already taking a break. I guess it wouldn't kill me to have tea. Or will it? Is it going to do something to my hair? Or turn me into a quill or something?"

He shook his head and chuckled at her paranoia. "No, just being nice Evans.

Lily picked up her cup of tea and took a small sip. "Not bad Potter, not bad at all."


	2. Zippers

**LEAVES**

**ZIPPERS:**

In a quiet corner of the castle, long after students should be abed, the Head Boy and Head Girl were patrolling. Or rather, they were supposed to be patrolling. Small rustling noises and the sound of kisses could be heard from a broom closet down the hall above the moving staircase that disappeared on Thursdays. James' hands roamed down Lily's back, lifting her shirt as they came back up again. She pulled back, grinning at him before leaning forward again and pushing up against him and doing the same to him. A sliver of light under the doors illuminated the closet just enough for them to see each other. Kissing more fervently, hands roaming everywhere, James reached for the buttons on Lily's jeans. He pulled back sharply after a few seconds.

"Lily, what in the name of Circe is that?" He leaned against the wall of the broom closet, the mood gone.

"What's what? They're pants. Why'd you stop? Don't be ridiculous." She leaned in again, running one hand through the hair on the back of his head.

"No, no!" He took her hand in his and stared at her. "That cold thing, the metal bit, like a cauldron. Where are your buttons?"

Lily's face broke into a broad grin, before beginning to laugh, first quietly then into an outright guffaw, which was quickly silenced as she remembered they were supposed to be the responsible ones. She tugged her shirt down as she began to explain, "It's a zipper James. Muggle jeans have them, as do Muggle dresses. They're really easy to undo, easier than buttons. I can't believe your reaction, it's like a ghost jumped out at you. Don't be spooked! Welcome to modern technology, at least Muggles are more sensitive than wizards about some things. Honestly. Look." Lily unzipped her jeans and then zipped them up again. "See? It's got this little pully thing on it. You just pull."

"Wow, that's brilliant Lily. I bet Sirius would love those. Not only do they take a girl's pants off, but hours of fun with all the tugging and pulling! This is brilliant. I don't suppose you have any lying around for me to show him with?"

Lily's giggles were back as she shook her head no and pushed the broom closet doors open.


End file.
